In 1891, members of the Women's Board of the Union Benevolent Association Hospital, later Blodgett Memorial Hospital, were inspired by an endowed hospital bed program in a Detroit hospital to establish a fund for the care of needy women. This fund was called "Mary Free Bed" and people with the name of "Mary" or having a friend or relative named Mary were asked to make a small contribution to the fund. The donations were invested and the interest was used to sponsor, whenever necessary, a "free bed" for needy persons at one of the local hospitals.

By 1911 the principal in the fund had increased to over $2,400. Articles of Association were drawn up and the Mary Free Bed Guild was formed with the purpose increasing the endowment fund to an amount sufficient to support a free bed throughout the year. Until 1925 annual concert series were held to raise needed funds.

In 1913 the Guild incorporated as a benevolent association under the name of the Mary Free Bed Guild of Grand Rapids, Inc. In 1918 the Guild gave a $10,000 endowment to Blodgett Memorial Hospital. With this gift, the Guild became an independent organization, not connected with any specific hospital.

After this independence, the Guild changed its focus somewhat and began working with local physicians and school nurses to assist in the care of crippled children. The first clinic for crippled children sponsored by the Guild was held at Blodgett Hospital on May 8, 1920. Seven children attended this first clinic, but by year's end the Guild had overseen the treatment of 105 patients.

Demand for this service grew so rapidly that in 1921 the Guild brought the first formally trained physical therapist to Grand Rapids. The same year the Guild convinced the Grand Rapids Board of Education of the need for a special school to meet the educational needs of physically handicapped children, many of whom could not attend a conventional school. As a result, the Board decided to devote the eastern wing of their new Stocking Street School to meet the needs of these children. The school, completely accessible, opened in September 1923 with an attendance of sixty-six in kindergarten to eighth grade.

By 1927 the cost of running the orthopedic clinic had become very great. The Guild, feeling that the clinic was well established and recognized as necessary to the community, turned the clinic over to Blodgett Memorial Hospital to become part of that hospital's outpatient department. This left the Guild free to establish a new service. This service took the form of a small convalescent home and school, opened in February 1930. It was essentially a twelve-bed hospital located at 1411 East Fulton Street. Four years of continued growth made this location too small to meet demands and at the invitation of the D. A. Blodgett Home for Children administration, the Guild's Children's Convalescent Unit was moved to 920 Cherry Street, S.E. to share the facilities of the Blodgett Home for Children. Gradually the Guild assumed management and operation of the entire building.

The Guild's designation as the Orthopedic Center for Western Michigan by the Michigan Crippled Children Commission; the presence of the Juvenile Amputee Training Center; the Grand Rapids Board of Education's enlargement of the school program for the Blodgett Home, with classroom and bedside teaching from kindergarten through 12th grade; and the polio epidemics combined to create a great demand for additional space. Ultimately the Blodgett Home for Children vacated the 920 Cherry location to provide more room for the growing Mary Free Bed Hospital operation. The Guild's Convalescent Home remained at 920 Cherry and was then fully and completely equipped to care for children with all types of crippling conditions, convalescent plastic surgery, rheumatic fever and infant feeding problems.

The Guild opened its own Brace Shop in the Blodgett Medical Building in 1937. In the shop braces were custom made according to specifications from the doctors. In 1943 operation of the brace shop was turned over to the Junior Mary Free Bed Guild, which had been founded in 1935.

In 1945, a program was begun at the Convalescent Home to aid parents in caring for their cerebral palsied children in their own homes whenever possible. A nursery school for these children was established with full-time teachers and physical and occupational therapists. The Home was approved as an evaluation center for cerebral palsied children in 1946. The Home had a complete staff of orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, pediatricians, physical therapists and occupational therapists in charge of this work. In November of that year, the Home was also designated the Amputee Center for the entire state of Michigan.

In 1966, the Home was renamed Mary Free Bed Hospital and Rehabilitation Complex and 12 men joined 12 Guild members to constitute a new Board of Trustees of this complex. Prior to this time, the Board of Directors of the Guild had overseen both the Home's and the Guild's other activities.

The Board of Trustees commissioned a study concerning the future expansion and development of the program at the Rehabilitation Center in 1968. This resultant report from the Medical Advisory Committee became the basis for much of the future and current activity conducted at the hospital.

In September of 1976 the old hospital building at 920 Cherry Street was closed and the new, fully licensed and accredited facility at 235 Wealthy Street, S.E. was opened. This location of Mary Free Bed Hospital, adjacent to an acute care St. Mary's Health Services Hospital, makes it possible for both institutions to participate in a number of shared programs. For example, St. Mary's provides dietary services for Mary Free Bed while Mary Free Bed shares its physical medicine services with St. Mary's.

With the continued growth of the hospital's programs and efforts the role of the Guild continues to be primarily administrative.

Other selected highlights in the history of the Guild, its Home and later Hospital: Rheumatic Fever Ward, 1948; designated Juvenile Paraplegic Training Center, 1949; Orthodontic Clinic approved, 1951; hospital name changed to Mary Free Bed Guild Children's Hospital and Orthopedic Center, 1953; Music Therapy program, 1955; Speech Therapy program, 1956; Tracheotomy Unit, 1957; Outpatient Rehabilitation Center opened, 1960; Adult Rehabilitation Area opened, 1961; Association for Blind & Sight Conservation, Hearing & Speech Center and Rehabilitation League agree to relocate at MFBG site, 1962; first-time accreditation by Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, 1964; Pediatric Asthma Unit and rehabilitation program for stroke patients, 1968; X-ray Unit, licensed as 82-bed hospital, Multi-disciplinary Clinic for Spinal Cord Disabilities, 1969; Stroke follow-up program begun, Vocational Counselor added to Allied Professional Staff, Driver Training Program, Psychiatric consultation services initiated, 1971; 1st full-time Psychiatrist, Board of Trustees vote to build a new facility -- attached to but autonomous of St. Mary's Hospital, initiation of "Grand Rapids Plan" for Rehabilitation Services in which Mary Free Bed will staff, equip and administer other hospital's Physical Therapy departments and make other rehabilitation services available, 1972; Ground breaking and actual construction begun for new building, institution name changed to Mary Free Bed Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, 1974.